How to make pancakes: follow our failsafe recipe

Put the pasta bake back in the fridge, tonight's dinner should be entirely batter-based. Grab the eggs, flour and milk, and whip up a total storm in the kitchen this Shrove Tuesday with our easy peasy (lemon squeezy) pancake recipe.

6. Melt the butter

7. Grease the pan (repeat for each pancake)

Get your frying pan medium hot and use the melted butter to grease the pan's base lightly (but thoroughly) before you cook each pancake. You can use a pastry brush for this but if it’s made of bristle you’ll probably have to chuck it out afterwards. You’re better off using a wad of kitchen paper.

8. Pour in the batter

How much batter you need for each pancake depends on the size of your frying pan but it tends to be a bit less than you expect (perhaps, 2 tablespoons for a medium sized pan). Shoogle the batter in the pan to coat the base evenly.

9. Check the first side is cooked and then flip the pancake over

To see when the first side’s done, ease the edge up with a palette knife (if you realise at this point that you don’t own a palette knife, use whatever scraping/lifting utensil you do own). When the underside's done (golden brown is perfect but a bit burnt and crispy is also fine) it's time to flip it over.

Loosen the pancake edges first, then grip the frying pan handle with both hands to toss the pancake. Rescue the pancake from the floor if necessary (that’s why you had a bit of a sweep before you started).

14. Or try banana with Nutella or fresh berries and vanilla ice cream

15. If you ignored step two and were crap at step ten the dog will be happy to hoover up

Looking for more pancake fun?

Get your frying pans at the ready folks, this year's pancake action need not be confined to the kitchen. Pancake races across the city will see everyone from hipsters to MPs tossing their way towards the finish line.